The auction kicked off like planned. For the first time Gisele saw socialites hacking each other for a few pieces of antiques. For the first round of the auction, the participants were mostly women who had their eyes on the antique and rare Jewelries that had been lined up. None of them were there for business purposes so when the second session of the auction started, the women in the hall were mostly bored and all began gossiping amongst themselves.
Gisele too was bored so she slouched in her chair with nothing to do. Her hand reached out to adjust the suit on her body. The warmth for the thick piece of clothing had long driven her cold away and even the man's deep cologne that was stuck to his suit had given her a sense of relaxation.
Bored, she dug out her phone and began chatting. Brenda had dropped a few messages for her so she concentrated on reading them before sending a few replies of her own. The month's end was a week away. So it was time she implemented on her plans.
As if feeling a pair of eyes locked on her body, she dropped the phone and looked up but there was nobody staring at her. Since her attention was back at the pulpit down, she decided to pay attention.
"160!"
"170!"
"195!" Voices of men rang out from random different locations in the hall and the raised their plycards and announced with serious expression.
Gisele looked at the map-like paper placed in the middle of a transparent glass on the pulpit. That seemed to be what all these business men were bidding for. If she was not wrong, this was the deal for the Military project that the Young general had spoken of. Subconsciously she turned and glanced at the man that had a serious look at he stared down on all the people bidding. It surprised her how such a young and handsome man was placed in charge of such an important project. On second thought, she has read and heard about this general before so with the kind of personality he had, it was not surprised that he was chosen to spearhead a national project.
The Young man must have felt her staring cause he turned and threw her a questioning look. Gisele hurriedly shook her head and turned back to the stage.
"200!"
"210!"
"215!"
"220!"
The price had gotten to two hundred and fifty million dollars already but it was still going on. Half the contestants had dropped regretfully as they couldn't go on but still there were still a few amount of people dragging out the price, always adding a few millions on their counterparts bid. Even though they would be spending a heap into the investment, they were all willing to do it since they knew it was bound to bring undeniable profits too.
While the rest were circling around adding not more than five to ten millions. A strong voice suddenly called out.
"400!"
The whole room dropped into a surprised silence then like thunderclaps the murmuring and whispering broke out in the room.
400?
This person had added a whooping price of 150 million dollars in one go. Even those that still had intended to fight for the deal had to reconsider their plans now. Going and into a bidding contest with someone who would throw such amount at cash at one go, would definitely be a mission to go bankrupt on their part.
Gisele looked at the owner of the voice and was stumped. Her dearest husband just threw Four hundred million dollars to purchase a drafted paper. Right now she was doubting that money god's impeccable trait to never lose money. With such a bold investment, would he really not lose any money?
"400 going once! Going twice! Going three! Gone!" The MC announced as he slammed the wooden gamer on the table. Some girls stepped forward to pick the glass and the draft put of the stage. As the bid was being taken away, the businessmen in the room stared at Devon with envious expressions. Not only that he had tossed out such a huge amount of money but because he had also won the deal without stress.
The capability of the rich truly would differentiate them.
Devon ignored the glances thrown at him and got prepared to go receive his project. He dug out his phone and was already giving out instructions to the person on the other side.
The auction continued without hitch and those that didn't get the project bid, tried to get something else.
"Next item on our list was gifted to the Prime Minister directly by GXJ's Managing Director. It's a design by their top designer. It has never made it to the clothing racks of any store because it was especially kept for a special guest..." As he gave the history of the cloth. A sapphire blue gown was rolled out on a mannequin. The mere sight of this piece of clothing made the ladies in the room suck in a cold breath.
It was beyond breaktaking.
"The starting price is 1 million. Please let the bidding begin" The room went crazy with incessant shouting of numbers.
"Xiao G, do you also like it that much" amongst the numerous ogling women, Claudia was the least affected by the dress but she couldn't help but notice how intensely the girl was staring at it.
Gisele shook her head and did not know how to reply to the woman's words. Was she supposed to tell her that she was only staring at the dress because it look like the doppelganger of a design she had drawn when she was ten? No one would believe her if she said, she suspected that the great designer of GXJ might have stolen her designs. This was not the first time she was facing such a situation. The first time had been in a mall and now in this auction. It really made her want to join the company and see how these designs had gotten to be.
Speaking of joining the company. She had totally slacked off her initial plans. There was a Fashion show coming up and anyone was allowed to join with a solo or group design. If she could bring one of her designs to life then she might not be able to get GXJ to personally reach out to her but still they would take note of her so when she goes applying, it would be a fairly easy process.
Seeing that Gisele had not replied. Claudia really thought the girl was also in love with the dress so she suggested "why don't I bid it down for you?"
"No Aunty. I was merely curious about the patterns" She immediately refused. The price had already gone up to twenty million, asking the woman to bid it down would make her feel selfish and inconsiderate. Though she assured the woman, a certain someone sitting in the room quietly sent a string of instructions to an underling through his phone and pretended like nothing was happening.
"25 million!"
"25 million!" Two people stood up simultaneously and pronounced.
Devon?
and Robert?
Seeing Robert bid for the cloth was not as surprising as seeing the great CEO Devon bid for a ladies dress personally.
The two men stared at each other. One on the down floor and the other in a private booth which was coincidentally adjacent to the booth, Gisele and Claudia were in. Robert flashed a helpless smile at Devon, while the other showed a frown. Robert would never act on his own so that could only mean...
Devon's eyes scanned the private booths slowly. After a while, his eyes landed on the Young man in a military suit but he had just missed the figure of the young lady that had left the room to use the toilet. The two tycoons shared a look and it was clear in a few seconds that each of them was not willing to back down.
How could Claudia not see the slight confrontation between her son and the man beside her. She felt like facepalming seeing their serious looks. It was just a dress, did the two of them have to look like they were about to go on a billion dollar war. She really wished she could make either of them stop but she knew any words she said would ends up falling on deaf ears. But come to think of it, her son had a girlfriend he could give the dress to, but who did General Harold plan on bidding the dress for?
It couldn't be... right?
Once the stare down ended. The bidding began fiercely. The Two men were gnawing at each other like their lives depended on it. One with a serious expression while the other had a helpless expression like he had no choice but to do it.
Slowly the two of them pushed the price till no one had the audacity to join in the fight. Everyone could only be reduced to spectators in the midst of this drama.